1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a vehicle detection apparatus and method using a magnetic sensor and, more particularly, to a vehicle detection apparatus and method using a magnetic sensor, which measure the change in a magnetic signal for a vehicle to be tested, record measurement results in advance, and calibrate a change in a magnetic signal for an actual vehicle while referring to the recorded results, thereby increasing the accuracy of the determination of the presence and movement of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to detect the presence and movement of a vehicle and calculate the speed of the vehicle, various vehicle detection technologies have been proposed up to the present, and these technologies use a loop type detector, an image detector, a laser sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.
Vehicle detection technologies for detecting the presence and movement of a vehicle include a vehicle detection method using a conventional magnetic sensor disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,388,517. U.S. Pat. No. 7,388,517 discloses a method for detecting a change in the earth's magnetic field attributable to the movement of a vehicle, and extracting information about the presence and movement of the vehicle based on the change in the earth's magnetic field. This method proposes various algorithms for processing a magnetic signal in order to detect a vehicle using a magnetic sensor.
However, the conventional vehicle detection method using a magnetic sensor in order to detect a vehicle has a problem in that it is difficult to set the reference of a magnetic signal used to determine the detection of a vehicle because the intensity of the earth's magnetic field varies depending on the location where a magnetic sensor is installed.
Therefore, it is necessary to calibrate a magnetic signal obtained by a magnetic sensor in order to accurately detect a vehicle. However, a system and method capable of calibrating a magnetic signal obtained based on the presence and movement of a vehicle has not yet been provided.